Salt and pepper dispenser



Nov. 5, 1929. w. J. MILLER SALT AND PEPPER DISPENSER Filed July 26, 1928Patented Nov. 1929 WARREN J. MILLER, or ATLANTIC CITY, NEW .rnnsnY iSALT AND PEPPER DISPENSER I Application filed July 26,

The invention relates to a device for holding salt or pepper to bedischarged into salt and pepper shakers and has for its object theprovision of a device including a hopper 5 for containing the materialto be dispensed provided with a tapered bottom to which is securable atapered spout designed to discharge the salt and pepper in a smallstream to directly fill a condiment shaker and pro- 1o Vided with avalve for controlling the discharge of material from the hopper having aplunger rod extending through the top of the hopper and an expansiblespring engaging the plunger rod to hold the valve normally closed.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a device of thecharacter stated of a filling opening in the top of the hopper and asieve removably mounted in the '20 hopper alined with the opening tosift the material in filling the hopper to prevent large particlesentering the hopper that would on danger operation of the valve. I

A. further object of the invention is the provision of a salt and peppershaker including a holder having a base and an upright mounted on thebase and provided with means for suspending a hopper on the upright inposition to hold and discharge the contents of the hopper, and providingalso a tray mounted on the base to catch and hold material dischargedfrom the hopper that may overflow the containers when being filled.

The invention will be described in detail hereinafter and will be foundillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a frontview in elevation of the improved salt and pepper dispenser,

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view, and

Figure 3 is a plane indicated by the line 33 of F igure 2.

In the drawings similar reference characters are used to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

The improved salt and pepper dispenser includes a supporting membercomprising .5 a base 1 on which is mounted an upright a transversesectional view on 1928. Serial No. 295,526.

2, 3 indicating angular brace members-that connect the base 1 with theupright member 2. Secured to the uprightmember 2 is a bar 4: madepreferablyof a fiat strip of metal and having its upper end ofi'set as65 shown at 5 to provide a hook member'6, while 1ts lower end is rebenton itself as shown at .7. Intermediate of the ends of the strip 4 is anangular member Shaving an upwardly extending end 9 that forms anotherhook that is alined with the hook member 6. The condiment holdercomprises a cylindrical-member 10 having ears 11 that engage'on thehooks Sand 9. Secured as at 1.2 to the lower portion of the cylindrical1 member 10 is a downwardly tapered member 13 forming the bottomv of thedispenser hopper, the lower portion ofsaid bottom member 13 beingcylindricaliand threaded as shown at 1 1 andv adapted to receive atapered spout 15 that has "a cylindrical inwardly threaded member '16 toengagethe threaded extremity 141. The. lower end' of the bottom member13has an inwardly. extending annular flange 17' that provides a valve seatto coact with a valve/plunger 18 to close the entrance to the spout 15'.

19 indicates a plunger rod that extends I through the top of the hopperdesignated 20 and has an operating handle 21 secured to its upper end.22 is an expansible coil spring that terminally engages the handle 21and the top 20 of thehopper to normally close the valve plunger 18against the seat. Thetop 20 is provided with a hinged door 23 throughwhich the material is sup plied to the hopper, and 24 designates ascreen member that is removably applied to the hopper and held inposition therein by means of a hook member 25 that engages over the topedge of thewall of the hopper. The bottom of the screen member 24 isformed of a screen fabric indicated at 26, and the function of thescreen 25 is to insure that the material put into the"hop-- 9 per willbe finely divided so as to avoid clogging the restricted opening throughthe bottom of the bottom member 18 and through the restricted opening inthespout 15. It-

will be apparent that the screen not only 1 prevents lumps of thematerial itself enterlng the hopper but Will also separate therefrom anyforeign matter that may be therein that Would tend to interfere With theproper operation of the device. 27 indicates a tray that is adapted torest on the base 7 1 and :having an ear 28 :that engages the rebentportion 7.. J30 JhOlCl l. the 1 tray .in' .position under the spout 15so that any material that may not be delivered to the condiment holderwill be caught in the tray and may be returned to the hopper.

In use it Will be apparent that the condiment holder may be filled byholding it under the spout 15 and by depressing the plunger rod 19 toopen the valve 18 thema'terial in the hopper will be discharged through:the spout 15 to the condiment holder thus making it convenient to fillsalt and pepper shakers With thedevice, and that any material that maybe discharged, as heretofore stated and not retained in the condi- Imentholder will fall into the tray 27 and may be returned to the hopper fordispens- 111g.

' What is claimed is .A granulated product dispenser, comprising a base,a standard supported on said base,

a bar secured to said standard and having its upper end offset fromthestandard forming a hook, the lower end of said bar rebent on itselfforming another hook, a

hook membersecured intermediate the ends of said bar, a hopper havingears slidably engaging the first andlast mentioned hooks, dlspensingmeans associated with said hopper, and a tray having an ear engaging thei'rebent hook and seated on the base afore- -sa1d, sa1d tray beingpositioned to catch material discharged from the hopper.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' WARREN J. MILLER.

